White horizontal lines on a phone screen can come from a temporary software problem, a display setting, an app conflict, or physical damage to the display panel or its connection.
The most useful question is not simply “how do I remove the lines?”
It is when and where the lines appear.
A line that appears only inside one app points in a different direction from a line that is visible on the lock screen, startup logo, recovery screen, and every app.
Check Whether the Lines Appear During Startup
Restart the phone and watch the screen from the moment the manufacturer logo appears.
Pay attention to whether the white lines are visible:
- on the boot logo;
- before Android finishes loading;
- on the lock screen;
- only after you open certain apps.
If the lines are visible before Android loads, a display hardware problem becomes more likely.
If they appear only after Android starts, software or an app is still possible.
This is one of the quickest ways to separate an Android rendering problem from a failing screen.
Restart the Phone
A temporary graphics or system error can sometimes cause abnormal display behavior.
Restart the phone normally and test again.
On Samsung Galaxy phones, you can force a restart by holding the Side key + Volume Down for more than 7 seconds if the normal restart menu is unavailable.
If the lines disappear and do not return, the problem may have been a temporary system fault.
If they come back immediately, continue troubleshooting.
Check for a Recent Drop or Pressure Damage
White lines that begin after a drop, bend, impact, or pressure on the phone should be treated as possible hardware damage.
The outer glass can look completely intact while the display underneath is damaged.
Modern phone screens contain delicate layers, display drivers, and internal connections.
Impact-related damage may also cause:
- flickering;
- green or purple lines;
- black spots;
- touch problems;
- areas that stop displaying correctly.
Samsung currently advises professional inspection when unusual lines or colors appear after impact.
If the display was flickering before the lines appeared, see Phone Screen Flickering? How to Fix It.
Install Any Available System Update
Google currently recommends checking for a system update when a Pixel screen shows horizontal or vertical lines, flickering, or green tint.
On most Android phones:
Settings > System > Software update
On Samsung:
Settings > Software update
Install any available update, restart the phone, and check the screen again.
Updates can fix software and compatibility issues, but persistent lines that remain across startup and every app should not be treated as a routine software bug indefinitely.
Update Your Apps
If the line appears only inside one app, update that app before changing system settings.
Open Google Play and install any available updates.
Then reopen the app.
If the problem continues only in that app:
- Force close it.
- Restart the phone.
- Reinstall the app if necessary.
A display defect that appears in only one app is less likely to be caused by the physical panel.
If several apps became unstable after the same Android update, see Apps Keep Crashing After Android Update.
Test the Phone in Safe Mode
Safe Mode disables downloaded apps and runs Android with the core system software.
It is useful when the lines appear only after the phone finishes booting.
On many Android phones:
- Open the Power menu.
- Touch and hold Power off.
- Tap Safe mode.
The exact method varies by manufacturer.
Use the phone for a few minutes in Safe Mode.
If the white lines disappear, a downloaded app may be interfering with display behavior.
Focus on apps installed or updated shortly before the problem started, especially:
- screen-filter apps;
- brightness-control apps;
- launchers;
- gaming tools;
- display overlays;
- accessibility utilities.
If the lines remain in Safe Mode, a third-party app becomes less likely.
If you have trouble leaving Safe Mode afterward, see Android Stuck in Safe Mode.
Test a Different Refresh Rate
High-refresh-rate displays can behave differently at 90 Hz, 120 Hz, or adaptive refresh rates.
Temporarily switch to a standard refresh rate.
On Samsung Galaxy:
Settings > Display > Motion smoothness
Choose Standard and test again.
On other phones, look for:
- Refresh rate;
- Smooth Display;
- Screen refresh rate;
- Motion smoothness.
If the lines disappear at a lower refresh rate, keep the phone updated and monitor the display.
A repeatable refresh-rate-related line can still point to display hardware or driver behavior, so do not assume the screen is permanently fixed just because one mode hides the symptom.
Check Brightness and Display Modes
Some display defects become easier to see at certain brightness levels.
Temporarily:
- Turn off Adaptive brightness.
- Set brightness to the middle of the slider.
- Turn off any unusual display filters.
- Test both Light and Dark mode if the line changes with background color.
A physical line may look more obvious on a dark or light background depending on the display technology.
The important point is whether the line stays in exactly the same physical position across different screens and apps.
If it does, the display panel becomes more suspicious.
Let an Overheated Phone Cool Down
Heat can contribute to temporary display instability.
If the phone is unusually hot:
- Stop charging it.
- Remove the case.
- Stop gaming, video recording, navigation, or other demanding tasks.
- Move it out of direct sunlight.
- Let it cool naturally.
Then restart and test again.
Do not place a hot phone in a refrigerator or freezer.
If overheating is a recurring problem, see Phone Overheating While Charging.
Check for Liquid Exposure
Liquid damage can affect a display even when the phone continues to work.
Possible symptoms include:
- white lines;
- flickering;
- discoloration;
- intermittent touch response;
- black areas;
- a display that worsens over time.
If the phone was exposed to water or another liquid shortly before the problem began, avoid repeatedly charging or restarting it.
Internal corrosion or damage may require professional inspection.
Do not rely on rice as a repair method.
Use a Screenshot or Screen Recording as a Diagnostic Clue
A screenshot or screen recording can help determine whether Android is generating the line or whether the physical display is adding it.
Take a screenshot while the line is visible.
Then view that screenshot on another device.
If the white line appears in the screenshot on the second device, software rendering becomes more likely.
If the screenshot looks normal but the original phone still shows the line, display hardware becomes more likely.
The same idea applies to a screen recording.
This is not a definitive hardware test, but it is a useful clue.
For capture instructions, see How to Take a Screenshot on Android.
Lines That Appear and Disappear
Intermittent lines can still be serious.
They may point to:
- a developing display-panel fault;
- an unstable internal connection;
- heat-related behavior;
- refresh-rate problems;
- temporary software instability.
Pay attention to what makes the lines appear.
For example:
- opening the phone after it warms up;
- changing brightness;
- switching refresh rate;
- pressing the frame;
- moving the phone;
- plugging in a charger.
Do not intentionally bend or press the phone to reproduce the issue.
If movement or pressure changes the line, stop testing and arrange inspection.
White Lines After an Android Update
A line that begins after an update deserves software checks first, but timing alone does not prove the update caused it.
Try:
- Restarting the phone.
- Installing any newer system patch.
- Updating apps.
- Testing Safe Mode.
- Testing a standard refresh rate.
I would not recommend clearing a system cache partition as a universal fix.
That advice is device-specific and increasingly outdated on modern Android phones.
If the lines remain visible during startup or Safe Mode, hardware becomes much more likely.
Samsung Galaxy Phones
Samsung’s current display guidance recommends checking:
- software updates;
- app updates;
- temporary system errors;
- physical damage;
- Safe Mode when an app conflict is possible.
Samsung also recommends service when impact has caused abnormal display behavior.
Galaxy users can also use Samsung Members diagnostics for touchscreen testing, although a touchscreen test does not prove that the display panel itself is healthy.
A phone can register touch normally while still showing damaged pixels or display lines.
Google Pixel Phones
Google’s current Pixel guidance explicitly lists horizontal and vertical lines alongside flickering and green tint as display symptoms that can indicate hardware trouble.
Google recommends installing system updates first.
If the problem remains, repair may be appropriate.
Google also maintains extended repair programs for certain Pixel models with specific display-line or flickering defects.
Eligibility depends on the exact model, device identifier, condition, and program requirements.
Check Google’s current support page for your exact Pixel model before paying for repair.
When White Lines Usually Mean Hardware Damage
Hardware becomes the leading explanation when:
- the lines appear during startup;
- the same line stays in the same physical location;
- Safe Mode makes no difference;
- the phone was dropped or bent;
- liquid exposure occurred;
- the lines are spreading;
- flickering is getting worse;
- touch response is failing;
- black or colored areas are developing.
At that point, more Android resets are unlikely to help.
Back up important data before the display deteriorates further.
If the screen eventually turns completely black while the phone continues to ring or vibrate, see Phone Screen Is Black but Phone Is On.
Do Not Factory-Reset Too Early
A factory reset erases personal data and should not be used simply because a line is visible.
Consider it only when:
- there is no physical or liquid damage;
- the line does not appear during startup;
- software remains a credible cause;
- Safe Mode and updates have not resolved the problem;
- your data is backed up.
If the line is visible before Android loads, a factory reset is unlikely to repair a damaged panel.
Back Up the Phone Before Repair
If the line is spreading or the screen is becoming unstable, back up important data while the display is still usable.
Prioritize:
- photos;
- contacts;
- documents;
- messages;
- authenticator access;
- app backups.
If you are moving to another device, see How to Transfer Data From Android to Android.
Do not wait until the screen becomes completely unreadable.
The Best Way to Judge the Problem
Use the behavior of the line:
Appears only in one app: update or reinstall that app.
Appears only after Android loads: test Safe Mode and software updates.
Changes with refresh rate: test a standard display mode and update the phone.
Started after overheating: let the phone cool and retest.
Started after a drop or liquid exposure: prioritize hardware inspection.
Visible during startup and across every app: display hardware is the leading suspect.
Getting worse or spreading: back up your data and arrange repair.
White horizontal lines are not automatically proof that the screen must be replaced, but persistent lines that remain before Android loads and survive software troubleshooting are strong evidence that the problem is inside the display hardware rather than Android itself.
